“Well,” said Bob to the latter.  “Where did you get by me?  I didn’t know you were here.”

“Oh, I blew in the other day.  Didn’t have time to stop below; and, besides, I was saving my strength for your partner here.”  He looked at Welton ruefully.  “I thought I’d come up and get that water-rights matter all fixed up in a few minutes, and get back to supper.  Nothing doing!”

“This smooth-faced pirate,” explained Welton, “offers to take our water if we’ll pay him for doing it, as near as I can make out—­that is, if we’ll supply the machinery to do it with.  In return he’ll allow us the privilege of buying back what we are going to need for household purposes.  I tell him this is too liberal.  We cannot permit him to rob himself.  Since he has known our esteemed fellow-citizen, Mr. Plant, he’s falling into that gentleman’s liberal views.”

Baker grinned at his accusor appreciatively, but at the mention of Plant’s name Bob broke in.

“Plant’s landed,” said he briefly.  “They’ve got him.  Prison bars for his.”

“What?” cried Welton and Baker in a breath.

Bob explained; telling them of Thorne, his record, methods, and the definite evidence he had acquired.  Long before he had finished both men relaxed from their more eager attention.

“That all?” commented Baker.  “From what you said I thought he was in the bastile!”

“He will be shortly,” said Bob.  “They’ve got the evidence direct.  It’s an open-and-shut case.”

Baker merely grinned.

“But Thorne’s jugged them all up the range,” persisted Bob.  “He’s convicted a whole lot of them—­men who have been at it for years.”

“H’m,” said Baker.

“But how can they dodge it?” cried Bob.  “They can’t deny the evidence!  The Department has upheld Thorne warmly.”

“Sure,” said Baker.

“Well,” concluded Bob.  “Do you mean to say that they’ll have the nerve to pass over such direct evidence as that?”

“Don’t know anything about it,” replied Baker briefly.  “I only know results when I see them.  These other little grafters that your man Thorne has bumped off probably haven’t any drag.”

“Well, what does Plant amount to once he’s exposed?” challenged Bob.

“I haven’t figured it out on the Scribner scale,” admitted Baker, “but I know what happens when you try to bump him.  Bet you a thousand dollars I do,” he shot at Welton.  “It isn’t the wraith-like Plant you run up against; it’s interests.”

“Well, I don’t believe yet a great government will keep in a miserable, petty thief like Plant against the direct evidence of a man like Thorne!” stated Bob with some heat.